Accountants Should Stop Giving Away Services for Free

As accountants, we are passionate about helping our clients and bringing value to their businesses.

However, sometimes we might find ourselves giving away our services for free or undercharging due to our fear of discussing fees or apprehension about charging clients for additional work that falls outside the initial scope. While this may seem like a kind gesture or a smart marketing move, consistently offering free services can ultimately adversely affect our businesses and personal finances.

Don’t set precedents

When we provide services without charge, it inadvertently sets a precedent. Clients who get used to receiving free services might start expecting them and could be reluctant to pay for additional offerings in the future. This mindset can lead to a decrease in revenue and profitability, negatively impacting our businesses.

Recoginse your worth

Additionally, offering services for free can unintentionally devalue our work.

Clients may perceive complimentary services as less valuable or desirable, resulting in reduced demand and lower sales. We must remember that our skills and expertise hold value, and clients should recognise that worth.

Moreover, giving away services can have personal financial repercussions. We may be sacrificing opportunities to earn income by consistently providing free services. Instead of offering services for free, it’s important that we charge a fair price that compensates us for our time and effort while also establishing the value of our skills and expertise.

Promotions and special offers

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with occasionally offering free or discounted services. Special offers can be a great way to attract new clients or reward loyal ones. The key is to find a balance between generosity and valuing our work. We could consider limited-time promotions or special discounts to encourage clients to try new services.

Avoid scope creep

To address the issue of engagement or scope creep, we should have open conversations with our clients about fees and establish clear boundaries for the scope of our work.

By discussing costs upfront and addressing out-of-scope work as it arises, we can maintain healthy client relationships while ensuring we are fairly compensated.

Upfront is an explanation, in arrears is an excuse

Accountants should stop giving away services for free. While it may seem like a good idea at first, doing so can have long-term negative consequences for our businesses and personal finances. It’s essential to strike a balance between generosity and valuing our expertise, ensuring clients understand the worth of our services. By having honest conversations about fees and addressing out-of-scope work promptly, we can build thriving, sustainable practices that truly reflect the value we bring to our clients.

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About Clarity

Clarity® is the end-to-end business advisory suite for accounting firms.

We help accountants thrive, by realising the  full potential of their team, their firm and their clients.

Clarity brings meaning to the word “advisory”. Our multi-award winning platform, education systems, and consulting team give you the structure, tools and plans to create, market, sell and deliver business advisory services; and the confidence to make it happen.

We enable you to introduce and create a profitable, repeatable and scalable business advisory service for your firm. One that increases revenue in excess of 40% and profitability by over 125%.

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